American Circus Educators Magazine Spring 2016 (Issue 1, Vol 6) | Page 2
ABOUT
Wel
co
me
TO THE
BE AUTIFUL
margins
Founded in 2014, the American
Circus Educators Association (ACE)
is a branch of the American Youth
Circus Organization (AYCO), a non-
profit organization that supports
the diversity of circus educators by
organizing festivals & conferences,
advocating for circus education,
generating and sharing resources
and information, and setting
guidelines for safety in circus
education and practice.
For information about events,
membership, or to get involved,
visit americancircuseducators.org
STAFF
Amy Cohen, Executive Director
Sam Boyles, Account Manager
Kim Campbell, Editor
Lucy Little, Graphic Design
BOARD
Jesse Alford, President
Jenn Cohen, Vice President
Maribeth Joy, Treasurer
Adam Woolley, Secretary
Tara Jacob, Member
Shana Kennedy, Member
Carlo Pellegrini, Member
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Subscriptions to ACE Magazine are a
benefit of ACE membership. Please
visit americancircuseducators.org
to become a member.
SUBMISSIONS
We invite any reader with a
circus-related story, opinion ,
review , poem , quote , or artwork
to submit inquires to editor@
americancircuseducators.org
KEEP IN TOUCH
T: 914.441.8834
E: [email protected]
W: americancircuseducators.org
Twitter: @ILoveAYCO
Facebook:
americanyouthcircusorganization
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear community,
I had my first circus learning experience when I was six. I was at a music
festival with my family and there was a juggling station. Someone invited me in
to play, and soon enough I was balancing a broom on my chin. The next year
my Physical Education teacher introduced circus props into our elementary
school class. Gym became my favorite subject (and stayed that way all through
school). Years later, I went to Circus Arts Camp at Purchase College where I
met my first true circus family. These people were creative, physical, goofy,
loving, and fiercely devoted to creating circus experiences for others and being
supportive to one other. My circus family had varied circus backgrounds that
gave me a diverse perspective—from state circuses in Hungary and Bulgaria
to founding members of the Big Apple Circus. From community theater
enthusiasts to Ringling Bros. clowns. At circus camp, I felt like I had found my
home planet, and gratefully, I've been there ever since.
Everyone has their circus story—that person, place, or circumstance that
brought them into the circle. So many of you not only have your own circus
story, but have dedicated your lives to creating the forum for others to create
theirs. Two of my mentors, Kevin and Erin Maile O'Keefe (Kevin is AYCO's
founder and Erin is a founding member and our first ever festival director),like
to contextualize our role as circus educators and instigators as "creating
the container". We create the environment, the structure, and forum for
expression, creation, learning skills, and character development. I feel grateful
that as you create containers for circus learning in your own communities,
AYCO and ACE can work to create a container for all of you to thrive within as a
sector.
In this issue, we have the opportunity to learn about a variety of pathways to
modern day circus life. New pathways are emerging every day, and in the spirit
of circus, there are a multitude of ways to blaze your own unique path in circus
present and future. Each new pathway requires care and cultivation. Even
in our open-minded sector it is easy to judge one route as more valid than
another. At AYCO and ACE we believe it is important that we work together to
ensure that as each new person finds circus, there is a safe and inclusive forum
for them to tap into to learn best practices. Reading about the multitude of
access points expressed in this issue - for elders, people coming to circus from
other physical forms in adulthood, college students, etc. begs the question−
how can we improve access to safety and professional standards for circus
people in all settings; the circus studio, the college club, the cooperative, the
summer camp? I hope that this issue generates, questions, conversation, and
inspiration.
Sincerely,
PHOTO CREDIT: TERRY CYR
Amy Cohen
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